Income - Heart Matters

2. Examine Irrational Beliefs

It is important to realize that focusing on your strengths helps you maintain feelings of positive self-worth. This is important because, when we don’t like ourselves or feel good about our situations, we may try to compensate through buying “stuff.” Remember that your strengths are most often your achievements and we all have achievements. Focus on using your strengths to achieve your goals. By achieving your goals, you show yourself that you have control over your life, your feelings and your finances – control what you have control over.

A word about achievements: in our society, achievement sometimes is tied to being the best, having the most, beating others in a competition, or winning. Rationally, achievement is accomplishing something YOU have set as a goal. This may be graduating from college, having time with your family, being healthy, serving others.

Focusing on negative irrational beliefs can rapidly damage your emotional life, erase healthy feelings of control and sabotage your financial plans. Let’s examine 11 core irrational beliefs people often hold about life and then see how these “core” beliefs influence personal finances.